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TOWARDS THE FINITE: A CASE AGAINST INFINITY IN JORGE LUIS BORGES

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Date Issued:
2012
Abstract/Description:
The role of infinity as an antagonist in Jorge Luis Borges's oeuvre is undeniable. His stories in El jardín de senderos que se bifurcan (1941), Ficciones (1944), and El Aleph (1949) exhibit Borges's tendency to evoke dreams, labyrinths, mirrors, and libraries as both conduits for infinity and sources of conflict. Oftentimes, Borges's characters experience discomfort upon encountering the limitations of secular temporal succession. This discomfort is rooted in Borges's pessimism about the subject which is explored in Borges's most comprehensive essay on the issue of time: "A New Refutation of Time." Consequently, this thesis considers Borges's attitude towards the issue of time as postulated in "A New Refutation of Time" and exhibited in his early fiction, continues to acknowledge infinity as a fundamental conflict in Borges's work, and proceeds to search for a solution to this conflict.The analysis in this thesis relies heavily on a comparative study of the themes and symbols in Borges's fiction in order to establish a pattern wherein infinity is portrayed negatively. More importantly, the use of interviews, biographies, and Borges's own fiction, facilitates the construction of cohesive conception of time in his work. Subsequently, this study looks to establish a solution to the problem of infinity and establish a new pattern wherein there is a positive resolution to the narrative. Ultimately, the goal of this thesis is to acknowledge the problem of infinity in Borges's work and then propose a way to escape it.
Title: TOWARDS THE FINITE: A CASE AGAINST INFINITY IN JORGE LUIS BORGES.
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Name(s): SANTIS, ESTEBAN, Author
Rodríguez Milanés, Cecilia, Committee Chair
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2012
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: The role of infinity as an antagonist in Jorge Luis Borges's oeuvre is undeniable. His stories in El jardín de senderos que se bifurcan (1941), Ficciones (1944), and El Aleph (1949) exhibit Borges's tendency to evoke dreams, labyrinths, mirrors, and libraries as both conduits for infinity and sources of conflict. Oftentimes, Borges's characters experience discomfort upon encountering the limitations of secular temporal succession. This discomfort is rooted in Borges's pessimism about the subject which is explored in Borges's most comprehensive essay on the issue of time: "A New Refutation of Time." Consequently, this thesis considers Borges's attitude towards the issue of time as postulated in "A New Refutation of Time" and exhibited in his early fiction, continues to acknowledge infinity as a fundamental conflict in Borges's work, and proceeds to search for a solution to this conflict.The analysis in this thesis relies heavily on a comparative study of the themes and symbols in Borges's fiction in order to establish a pattern wherein infinity is portrayed negatively. More importantly, the use of interviews, biographies, and Borges's own fiction, facilitates the construction of cohesive conception of time in his work. Subsequently, this study looks to establish a solution to the problem of infinity and establish a new pattern wherein there is a positive resolution to the narrative. Ultimately, the goal of this thesis is to acknowledge the problem of infinity in Borges's work and then propose a way to escape it.
Identifier: CFH0004237 (IID), ucf:44903 (fedora)
Note(s): 2012-05-01
B.A.
Arts and Humanities, Dept. of English
Bachelors
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): BORGES
INFINITY
SUBLIME
POSTMODERNISM
BURKE
ARGENTINA
TIME
TIMELESSNESS
LABYRINTH
LIBRARY
MIRROR
DREAM
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004237
Restrictions on Access: campus 2015-04-01
Host Institution: UCF

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